‘AEW Dynamite: Maximum Carnage’ Review (Jan 15th 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was a “Maximum Carnage” special episode broadcast from the Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, OH. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Kenny Omega def. Brian Cage
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kenny swarmed Cage in the corner with jabs and chops. Kenny tried to take out the legs of Cage. Brian Cage back dropped Kenny Omega. Cage picked up Omega and curled him like a barbell and then dumped him on the mat. Cage crunched Kenny in the corner, ramming Kenny with his shoulder. Kenny countered a power bomb attempt with a hurracanrana. Lance Archer jumped onto the apron, but Kenny blasted him with a high boot. The distraction helped the Don Callis Family because Brian Cage used the opportunity to nail Kenny with a running lariat. Cage press slammed Kenny onto the announcers’ desk. Archer held Kenny as Callis assaulted Kenny with cheap shots. Cage power bombed Kenny over the top rope and back into the ring! Omega held his stomach as Brian Cage hit him with a pump handle slam. Omega rallied back with his own power bomb, but from the top rope, and followed up with a knee strike for a near fall on Cage! Kenny cracked Cage with the V-Trigger knee strike. Omega smashed Cage with the One Winged Angel and pinned Brian Cage!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, & MVP) def. Mark Briscoe and Private Party (Quen & Zay)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
MVP bashed Briscoe with forearms in the ring. Briscoe fired back with chops and redneck Kungfu. MVP pump kicked Mark in the mush. Shelton grabbed Mark and whipped him into the ring apron and then body slammed him. Back in the ring, MVP dropped the ballin’ elbow on Mark Briscoe, good for a two-count. Zay tagged in and connected with a cross body press on Shelton. Zay followed up with a dropkick. Quen tagged in and Private Party double dropkicked MVP, then Shelton, and then Lashley! Mark Briscoe flew through the ropes and crashed into Lashley outside the ring. Quen wiped out Benjamin with a flatliner for a near fall. Bobby Lashley suplexed Briscoe on the arena floor! Shelton shoved Quen into Lashley and Lashley spiked Quen with a choke slam. Lashley speared Zay! Shelton suplexed Quen and then landed a thrust kick on Quen, scoring the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Hook def. Christian Cage (DQ)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook wasted no time and went right after Christian Cage! Hook back dropped Cage into the ring. Christian Cage went to hug Hook, telling Hook he’d be the father he needed, but Hook sent Christian for a ride with a belly to belly suplex. Kip Sabian and Nick Wayne came down to the ring and stood outside with Mother Wayne. Hook ran off the apron and connected with an elbow strike to Christian. Hook sandwiched Christian’s head between the steel steps and his knee! Christian swept out Hook’s legs. Christian followed up with a frog splash for a near fall on Hook! Christian Cage nailed Hook with two more consecutive frog splashes. Christian speared Hook but Hook kicked out at the one-count! Hook hurled Christian with a Judo throw and then a Northern Lights Suplex. Hook countered the Kill Switch with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Hook put on the Redrum but Christian touched the ropes and Hook released the hold. Christian gouged Hook’s eyes and then whipped Hook into the steel post. Shibata came down to help Hook but Christian planted Shibata with the Kill Switch on the arena floor. Hook locked on the Redrum inside the ring. Christian called in the reinforcements! Nick and Kip stomped on Hook. The ref disqualified Christian. Christian Cage was about to put Hook in the con-chair-to when Samoa Joe came down to clean house on the Patriarchy! Christian Cage and Mother Wayne retreated before Samoa Joe could get to them!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match – Winner: Toni Storm
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The winner gets a Women’s World title shot at Grand Slam: Australia. AEW Women’s World Champion “The Glamour” Mariah May joined the broadcast booth for this match. Kris Statlander was entrant number one. Jamie Hayter was the second participant. They both tried for shoulder tackles but neither woman gave ground. Jamie pump kicked Stat. Megan Bayne was the third participant! Bayne bashed Statlander in the turnbuckles. Bayne jumped at Stat and dropped her with a flying clothesline. Hayter spiked Bayne with a DDT. Julia Hart was the fourth entrant. Julia beckoned Hayter out of the ring. Julia suplexed Hayter on the ramp. Willow Nightingale was out to the ring next! Willow booted Bayne in the face. Bayne returned fire with a pump kick. Willow and Statlander worked as a team to suplex Megan. Willow pounced Statlander, sending Stat flying halfway across the ring. Toni Storm was the next participant! Toni cleaned house with snap mares and shoulder tackles. Bayne got dropkicked by Willow. Hart hit a DDT on Hayter! Willow jumped off the apron with a crossbody press to Megan! Harley Cameron came out next and walloped Julia with a high kick to the head. Hayter hit the Hayte Breaker on Julia. Hayter snapped Harley in half with another Hayte Breaker. Julie sprayed mist into Harley’s eyes! Toni Storm rolled up Julia in a small package and pinned her!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: AEW World Championship Match – Jon Moxley def. Powerhouse Hobbs
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
“The Bastard” PAC and Claudio Castagnoli came through the crowd and surrounded the ring. Mox hit Hobbs with a blindsided shot. Hobbs fired back with strikes to the champion. Hobbs and Moxley brawled around ringside. They got back in the ring and Mox booted Hobbs in the head. Moxley rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida, sending Hobbs into the barricade. Hobbs picked up Mox and rammed Mox into the turnbuckles. Hobbs tried to bite the earring out of Moxley’s ear. Moxley’s ear was gushing blood after Hobbs bit the earring out of it. Marina kicked Hobbs in the side of the head as the ref was distracted. Hobbs countered the Death Rider with his strength and then shoulder blocked Moxley! Hobbs bulldozed Mox with three consecutive lariats. Hobbs planted Mox with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam for a near fall! Hobbs powerslammed Mox off the turnbuckles but Mox countered on the mat with an arm bar. Hobbs grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the submission hold. Yuta walloped Hobbs with a running knee strike on the ramp while the ref was dealing with Moxley. Hobbs came back with a spinebuster out of nowhere to Mox! Shafir bashed the briefcase onto Hobb’s head! Moxley nailed Hobbs with the Paradigm Shift but Hobbs kicked out at the two-count. Moxley locked in the bulldog choke and won via ref stoppage!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Like last week this was a super-solid episode of Dynamite across the board. This week’s show was saved somewhat by the fantastic Women’s Gauntlet match, which was easily the best match on the card and, for me, was the most exciting. I don’t think we really got the theme of “Maximum Carnage” however – the booking could have reflected the special branding a bit more, instead we just got a lot of interference and post-match beatdowns. Which isn’t really anything different for AEW. Otherwise another great episode this week!